WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Preparations continued Friday ahead of a winter storm that is expected to drop up to a foot of snow on some New England communities this weekend.
As of Friday night, updated forecasts project deteriorating conditions Saturday evening. Snow is expected to then linger through part of the day Sunday before tapering off.
Eyeing forecasts, members of the public have been heading to supermarkets and hardware stores while public officials have finalized preparations at DPW yards and other facilities.
“I’m already stocked up because I just generally do that,” said shopper Victoria Ingram-Rubin at a supermarket in Worcester. “…We’re just ready to enjoy it.”
“It’s going to be a pain to clean off all that snow,” said Jose Wells, also in Worcester, while filling his car with gas. “…At the end of the day, you don’t want to be unprepared.”
The largest snow totals are expected in areas around Worcester, Fitchburg and southern New Hampshire, where between nine and 12 inches of snow could pile up.
Boston could see between three and four inches, according to forecasts on Friday.
Set to be the first major snowfall of the season, this weekend’s storm may be an event to remember for Massachusetts residents who have not dealt with significant snow in some time.
“I never want to take the snow blower out, not at my age,” said Frank Genese, ready to clear his driveway in Worcester. “But I got it out yesterday and it started up and we’re ready to go.”
“We actually missed it last year,” said Manny Burrus while getting gas for his snowblower. “We didn’t get nothing like that.”
The state Department of Transportation has promised to have thousands of pieces of equipment on roads.
While crews will be working to keep streets clear, state officials have urged people to be cautious if they are out driving during the storm, repeating a familiar warning — “Don’t crowd the plow.”
“If you must travel during the storm, plan to allow for extra time, travel at reduced speeds, and anticipate slippery conditions,” MassDOT wrote in a post on X Friday afternoon.
In Weston, where the state’s salt pile near I-90 saw little use in last year’s relatively quiet winter, crews were ready to get to work Friday.
Trucks were similarly seen loading up at the Chelsea salt piles in order to treat roads.
In Worcester, which saw more significant snowfall than Boston and its immediate neighbors in 2023, officials said they will have 225 pieces of equipment involved in plowing and sanding operations over the weekend.
Speaking with 7NEWS, Worcester DPW Commissioner Jay Fink on Friday said Sunday morning “is probably going to be pretty slick.”
“So, it may take a while to get out there and get things done,” he said.
The city of Worcester on Friday announced a winter parking ban scheduled to take effect on Saturday night at 10 p.m.
Under the ban, parking will be prohibited on main arteries, emergency and bus routes and some downtown streets deemed “critical to the flow of traffic.” On other streets, parking will only be allowed on the odd numbered side of the street, unless otherwise posted.
There will be free parking at public garages until the parking ban is lifted.
Boston Mayor Wu details city’s storm preparations
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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu gathered with other city officials on Friday to discuss the city’s storm preparations.
Though Boston will likely be spared from the worst of the snow, Wu said trucks normally used during the summer were being outfitted to help clear roads.
“Our vehicles and our drivers and our city teams are out there trying to prepare the streets, treat them before the snow comes down, clear it when it does come down and then make sure that they’re safe,” Wu said.
Wu continued, saying officials are hoping current forecasts hold, with snow pulling out of the region well before the Monday commute.
Public works officials, in the meantime, said they have enough crews on standby to scale up or down should the storm’s expected impact in Boston change.
Transit delays expected as storm nears
Set to avoid major weekday commutes, stormy weather is still expected to pose problems for transit across the region through at least part of the weekend.
In a message on its website on Friday, Massport warned “delays are expected” at both Logan Airport and Worcester Regional Airport.
“Passengers are advised to check with their airline on the status of their flight before coming to the airport and to allow extra time to travel to and from the airport,” Massport said.
The MBTA on Friday took to social media to urge riders to follow various social media pages and alert systems for updates on public transit service.
The T additionally advised riders to allow extra time in their travel plans.
Off Cape Cod, where snow is expected to be less significant, the Steamship Authority said wind gusts over 40 miles-per-hour will likely disrupt service to Nantucket throughout the day Sunday.
The authority said it may also need to cancel trips to and from Martha’s Vineyard.
The Steamship Authority in a series of posts on X said change and cancellation fees for Sunday travel will be waived due to the storm.
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